Church and Coop Party

I got to enjoy a beautiful view with my breakfast out on the back patio.  Mama has these BIG BEAUTIFUL peonies growing in her yard.  These SO remind me of my Grandma June.  She had these lining her driveway at her old house.  You could smell their *wonderfulness* from sitting in her amazing hammock placed between two of the biggest trees you have ever seen!  I wonder if we could get these to grow in Western Nebraska!?!!  (P.S. Doesn't my Mama do a wonderful job keeping up all of that yard all by herself!?!!)

Can you see that large Christmas tree, tree in the background?  It's so large the whole thing doesn't even fit in the picture.  I can remember mowing around these trees back in high school.  They were  so tiny then.  Growth is one change that really reminds me how fast time is going by.  To live each day to the fullest with sights set on God.  His beauty surrounds us daily and if only I take a moment to be thankful before another day goes by!

Modeling an peony flower arrangement
with weeds!  My favorite type of
arrangement!

Crazy cool sunlight in this photo.
It is coming in from the back stairway that
goes from my bedroom down to the kitchen!

*L*O*V*E*

This afternoon we helped Mama prepare for our Coop party.  It was such a blessing to have so many of my childhood friends and family join us.  It is always so hard to get together with everyone you want to see in such a short time frame when you are home.  I absolutely love that, ever since I moved out west, I think every time I have been home for one reason or another, Coop has always gotten together.  This is SUPER special to me!  My cousin Susan even came with her family to visit.  Wow, have her handsome little boys gotten big.  Suz used to babysit us and we would have food fight wars and play school and Ms. Minchin and one of my all time favorite games, Forest!  I was raised in the country and it is hard for that piece of my background to ever leave me.  I cherish it and would love to share that with others.

Weedy arrangements = Natural Beauty!

Monroe's even came!!!!!

LIFE IS GOOD!

Home Sweet Illinois

WOW!  SO much awesomeness packed into one weekend!  We ended our greeting last night by talking waaay into the wee hours of the morning.  We had so much catching up as Kristin and Mama had been to Bali and beyond since I last saw them!  To be honest, until last night, I hadn't seen my sister in 2.5 years.  That is NOT ok and I wouldn't recommend it!  That is what happens when life takes you in different physical directions ~ separating Kristin, Mama, and I by three different time zones.  We must be intentional in our meetings!

This morning was a true reflection of God's love as we reconnected in our childhood home.  So very wonderful!  Kristin made me a smoothie and we enjoyed some nice, relaxing yoga on our back porch (I think the tree trimmers thought we were very odd!)

After our leisurely yoga session on the back porch, we helped Mama plant flowers out front.  Every year she gets so excited about her flowers and I am honored that I got to be a part of helping her!

Flowers out by the driveway.

Her new fake rock so people will quit running over
her well.

Her beautiful new gazebo that I got to help pick out last time I was home.

Teamwork!

After the flowers were all settled into their new homes (and watered), we cleaned up and headed into town for supper.  There was a new place they wanted to show me.  We got to eat outside and it was a lovely evening!

Love this shot!

This is an true action shot.  Kristin is really getting into her story.

Beautiful FRIENDSHIP!

After a delightful supper, we got to go visit Katie, Debbie, Rick, and Corey at the lake.  Again, a childhood home that was one that I grew up in.  Something so magically wonderful about reconnecting like this!  And to add to the awesomeness, Katie, Debbie, and I still all have our bracelets AND we were all wearing them tonight!  It reads on the outside:  "when you have faith" inside reads:  "everything is possible."  This pictures makes me smile!

ROADTRIP

I am so blessed to get to drive home for Memorial Day weekend to see my Mama and sister!!!!  I so look forward to reconnecting with my family and old friends.  There is just something about going home and seeing all of the developmental changes and yet the people that have known you the longest are still the same loving, caring people.

Lots of WATER!  This is around Grand
Island, NE.  I think I drove through
about 5 hours of solid rain.

Scope

I have been struggling for weeks with acid reflux/heartburn.  Now it is so bad it is beginning to interfere with my life.  So, I decided to schedule an endoscopy exam to have it checked out internally.  Dr. Magana had an opening early in the morning today so I took it because I didn't even have to starve very long...lol....pre-surgery/anesthesia no eating rules.  :)  I honestly didn't have a whole long time to get nervous about them shoving a camera down my throat.  They say they use the "no remember" drug so that you have no recollection of the procedure.

My sweet, sweet husband, Heath, took me into the surgery and then my mother-in-law, Barb, picked me up.  I was totally on drugs when she picked me up, so I really hope that I behaved!  I remember laying on her couch for hours until I finally woke up and Heath was there!  I am so thankful they were both there to help me today.  

They did find a mild hiatal hernia.  Basically, that means that my stomach is trying to get up my esophagus for some reason.  They gave me a some medicine to try and list of lifestyle changes to consider.  Sooooo....here are my new rules:

• Raise the head of our bed.
• No chocolate.
• No citrus.
• No spicy.
• No tomatoes (acidy) - going to be hard this summer with our fresh garden tomatoes!
• No caffeine - not a problem. 
• Eat at least 1-3 hours before bed.  (For my morning workouts, I used to be finishing up my bowl of cereal as I pulled into the pool, but now, I just eat a little tiny bit before I go so that it will not be a problem with me being horizontal so quickly after I eat.)

Being so sick with this, I am trying a few other diet related things to see if they make it worse, better, or stay the same.  While at traveling home this weekend, I am going to try being gluten-free and avoid cinnamon....at this point, I am willing to try anything to make it feel better.  Hopefully that medicine will kick in soon for my ROADTRIP!

Cozy *nap* time a few days prior!

~ TRUE * LOVE ~

"So, they are no longer two, but one.  Therefore what God has joined together, let men not separate."

~Matthew 19:6~

This is what true love looks like.  Take a moment with this photo of my
wonderful grandparents who were married over 70 years!

"Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

~Mark 10:9~

Re~Connect

Today was a lovely day as I got to go to my home church with Mama and then do some visiting and reconnecting!  We first visited my aunt and uncle.  They just got back from a Disney Cruise with 17 out of 20 people in their family.  It sounded like a wonderful event for all~grandkids, kids, and grandparents!  Mom and I also visited Mrs. Hintzman.  Mrs. Hintzman is a wonderful lady whom I used to mow for in the summers for many years.  At her beautiful country estate, we had the opportunity to make it stand out through our mowing service.  Her husband and best friend just passed away at almost 90 years of age.  It was very nice to get to see her and visit a bit.

Mrs. Hintzman

Next, I stopped at Robert's and enjoyed many hours of chat with Pam, Robbie, and the girls.  It was wonderful!  We sat out on their veranda in the shade surrounded by huge trees, beautiful flowers, and the serenity of their swimming pool.

My last stop was to visit with Katie and Debbie!  We had a very nice evening sitting on their porch overlooking lake Springfield.  I had one more stop planned, but I didn't make it!

Welcome Home Rochester High School Class of 2004

RHS Class of 2004 10 Year Reunion~Rochester, Illinois

We had a wonderful evening at our 10 year class reunion Saturday night.  It was absolutely wonderful!  Everyone seems to be really happy and doing well!  How awesome!  :)  For more pictures of the evening click here:  Wild At Heart.

Our HS graduation group minus Jenn Morrison, Laura Yergler, and Asa Olsen-our exchange student from Sweden.

We have a black and white photo like this taken when we were
very small at Rochester Park by the pond.

ReUNION

Today, my cousin Susan came over to visit with her two babies!  Andrew and Owen Gerding came to visit 'Aunt K-K and Rocky's House.'  Rocky is Mom's cat that is crazy, but they are good company for each other!

My first time meeting little Owen Gerding!  What a cutie!

So excited as tonight I will reconnect with my high school classmates:  Rochester High School Class of 2004.  I loved high school and had/still have some great friends!  So ironic that today in my Bible study, as I am beginning 1 Chronicles, the preface was talking about a reunion and reconnecting with friends and family.  Crazy how God is always at work in our lives, intertwining all the details all for His glory!

For tonight, TO HIM BE THE GLORY!